What do you think?
Rate this book
Double Down
In a world where nothing is real, the truth is just the lie you believe the most.
When a rogue U.S. drone strike on an ISIS base in Syria accidentally kills an American hostage, news of her death has to be suppressed to prevent a political firestorm. In a desperate ploy a CIA fixer is tasked with using fake video to create the illusion that she is still alive until the situation can be contained. But a ruthless cabal of arms manufacturers and their corrupt Washington lackeys will stop at nothing to get the massive pay day that only all-out war will bring.
When a rogue U.S. drone strike on an ISIS base in Syria accidentally kills an American hostage, news of her death has to be suppressed to prevent a political firestorm. In a desperate ploy a CIA fixer is tasked with using fake video to create the illusion that she is still alive until the situation can be contained. But a ruthless cabal of arms manufacturers and their corrupt Washington lackeys will stop at nothing to get the massive pay day that only all-out war will bring.
283 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 23, 2019
182 people are currently reading
57 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
April 4, 2020
Lukewarm
Did not feel or read like a Patterson book. It was to much going on and I got lost at times
Did not feel or read like a Patterson book. It was to much going on and I got lost at times
January 23, 2020
Disappointingly, this is the worst James Patterson book I've ever read. The plot was pretty mundane, and I didn't really see the point of it. Don't read ahead if you don't want spoilers:
The main character is an American woman, Catherine Finch, captured by the Islamic State in Syria, who becomes a YouTube star by making videos of her controversial (some have said "traiterous"), opinion of the USA. At the beginning of the book, the building she is kept in is bombed with a drone.
The book then delves into a political plot where the USA are attempting to sign a peace treaty with Syria and ISIS. The fact that Catherine has been killed could also kill the entire peace treaty, and so it is in the best interests of both parties to hide the fact that she is dead.
This is accomplished by some shadowy figures, both within and without the government, and a lookalike actress they found in a casting database, who created a YouTube video after the bombing, claiming that Catherine had survived. For some reason, a villain appears as well, who is insane, has a "wife" and "child" who are actually his hostages, and who wants to buy Catherine from the Syrians (who knows why). There is also Catherine's no-good, layabout husband, who is addicted to drugs and alcohol, and sponges off his second-hand fame from his wife.
Unfortunately, they are too successful, and the world believes that Catherine survived the bombing. Also unfortunately, the real Catherine really DID survive the bombing.
The book ends with everybody dying. The villain gets blown up in a car bomb, the husband gets shot in a suicide-by-cop situation, and the real Catherine gets smothered. The actress, fortunately, escapes death, but ends up using an assumed identity to become a nursing assistant in the camps in Syria, worlds away from her real life. It felt like the author didn't know how to end the book.
The main character is an American woman, Catherine Finch, captured by the Islamic State in Syria, who becomes a YouTube star by making videos of her controversial (some have said "traiterous"), opinion of the USA. At the beginning of the book, the building she is kept in is bombed with a drone.
The book then delves into a political plot where the USA are attempting to sign a peace treaty with Syria and ISIS. The fact that Catherine has been killed could also kill the entire peace treaty, and so it is in the best interests of both parties to hide the fact that she is dead.
This is accomplished by some shadowy figures, both within and without the government, and a lookalike actress they found in a casting database, who created a YouTube video after the bombing, claiming that Catherine had survived. For some reason, a villain appears as well, who is insane, has a "wife" and "child" who are actually his hostages, and who wants to buy Catherine from the Syrians (who knows why). There is also Catherine's no-good, layabout husband, who is addicted to drugs and alcohol, and sponges off his second-hand fame from his wife.
Unfortunately, they are too successful, and the world believes that Catherine survived the bombing. Also unfortunately, the real Catherine really DID survive the bombing.
The book ends with everybody dying. The villain gets blown up in a car bomb, the husband gets shot in a suicide-by-cop situation, and the real Catherine gets smothered. The actress, fortunately, escapes death, but ends up using an assumed identity to become a nursing assistant in the camps in Syria, worlds away from her real life. It felt like the author didn't know how to end the book.
June 29, 2020
Somewhat confusing
The plot was somewhat circuitous. It became clear about one quarter of the way though the novel. At that point it evolved into a more exciting take. It never reached the point where I felt I couldn't put it down,or what will happen next. I was rather dissapointed.
The plot was somewhat circuitous. It became clear about one quarter of the way though the novel. At that point it evolved into a more exciting take. It never reached the point where I felt I couldn't put it down,or what will happen next. I was rather dissapointed.
January 18, 2020
Very intriguing
I found I couldn't put this book down, lots of action taking place. Good read, would recommend to anyone interested in spies and secrets
I found I couldn't put this book down, lots of action taking place. Good read, would recommend to anyone interested in spies and secrets
January 19, 2020
Great read
Good character development and enough twists and turns in the plot to keep me reading. Good ending that left me wanting to read more Patterson.
Good character development and enough twists and turns in the plot to keep me reading. Good ending that left me wanting to read more Patterson.
February 9, 2020
Another great book off my list of books to read
February 9, 2020
Intriguing
Would have been 5 stars for the constant mystery that kept me intrigued except the ending was a little letdown.
Would have been 5 stars for the constant mystery that kept me intrigued except the ending was a little letdown.
February 20, 2020
The first James Patterson book to go in the DNF (did not finish) pile. I tried... a month and got to 30%.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews